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[Q] Transformer TF101 Docking Station Woes

Each time I dock my EEE PAD in the docking station I only have a 10% chance it will recognize the keyboard. Sometimes I get the keyboard only, sometime it recognizes the keyboard and the mouse (pad) but mostly it recognizes neither. Sometimes it says it is connected to the docking station and still doesn't recognize the keyboard but mostly it says it is not connected to the docking station after insertion.
I called ASUS support - they had me reset the transformer (Hold volume 'down' while hitting power) and also do the Factory Data Reset. Curiously while on the phone with them the keyboard just started generating 'd' keystrokes over and over! Finally they sent me instructions for updating the firmware, which I was to do myself. I did not research how to do this last step because I think it is completely unnecessary: the latest version is 8.4.4.5 and I already have that version. I called ASUS support back but they say their computers are down and call back tomorrow. However, the last thing he said was I will have to send it to their repair center in CA.
Basically, two questions: 1) Do you think I should download the firmware anyway? 2) Has anyone else experienced this issue?

I am not a genius but I would try reinstalling firmware. Maybe you got a bad firmware in your keyboard?
Fascinating is it not?

Not trying to be too simplistic but you might also make sure that the thing is really in there good too. The connection between my tablet and dock is pretty tough to get just right and the only way I really know for sure it's in there is to pull up on either side of the screen to make sure it's seated properly. I can imagine if one was more finicky then mine it might look like it's in there, latch slid and all, but still pop one side out if you tugged.
Just a thought based on my use.

I noticed the same thing...it's easy to think the dock is in correctly...it has to "click" and the little bar has to go ALL the way to the right side of the slot..otherwise it's not making 100% contact.

I had a broadly similar issue with mine. I eventually got the retailer to accept it back as faulty and ordered another [from a different supplier so it was from a different batch] and have had no issues with the new one... so far!

I am quite conscientious about docking the tablet solidly in the docking station. I use both hands (on each side of the tablet) and push firmly till I see the silver clasp pop completely over to the right. I have tried tugging it out afterward and neither side will budge upward.
Bottom-line is ASUS created an RMA # for me today. They want only the docking station, and not the tablet also. (My concern is what if the problem is the connector on the tablet?). One of the three main reasons I purchased ASUS was reliability, yet this is the first computer I have bought which failed out of the box! Anyway, it's nice to have prompt support and service. I called them 3 times and got through in less then 5 minutes all 3 times.

DreamU said:
Basically, two questions: 1) Do you think I should download the firmware anyway? 2) Has anyone else experienced this issue?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.It can't hurt.
2.Nope, all is well here.

review

Now first let me start of by apologizing to anyone who has had a good experience with The Lenovo TouchPad, or anyone who dose not want to here anything negative about the product, because what is to follows may sound like a horor story. (Sorry for the length)
I purchased the Lenovo Touch Pad 16gb, with pressure sensitive digitizer, and folio case (the one without the keyboard). I dont remember the exact dates but i ordered the above products (directly from the Lenovo website) at the start of September. I received the folio case in about a week and was supper excited. The case seemed on par with what i would expect, nothing to rave over but at the same time nothing to complain about. Upon receiving the case i checked online to see when i could expect the remainder of my order. To my surprise the estimated delivery date was late into October. Thinking something went wrong with the order i called the Lenovo sails department....several times. i was reassured that the date provided was a worst case scenario and i would receive an email conformation that my product had been shipped "any day now." The email never came until the last week of October, thankfully i received my tablet in a couple of days after.
I received my tablet on a thursday and spent the day setting it up with my personal preferences (as i have used several android products). The very first realization i had was the pen added absolutely nothing to the user experience. The note application that comes with the tablet is nice to show off but is virtually useless in every sense. I tried, at the time, every handwriting method of input and note taking application that i could find on the market. Needless to say nothing worked as i was hoping they would.
After setting up the tablet i let it charge on the factory charger from about 4pm to about 9am. I was a little shocked in the morning when grabbing it to test it out in the first day of class that the battery was only at about 70% charged. despite what i mentioned above about the note applications, the tablet performed as well as any tablet would have, I was able to browse the web, read the pdf copies of my books, send emails, etc. but as an engineering student i was hoping to get a little more use out of the pen then i actually did.
Saturday night i had some time to test out its media playback ability. i found some tv shows that i wanted to catch up online and decided my newly purchased tablet would be perfect for the job. upon starting the video stream (that the tablet had to struggle to finally load) i realized there was no sound being emitted from the speakers. I grabbed a pair of earphones and plugged them in only to find the sound coming from the earphones loud and clear. Thinking i missed a setting somewhere i checked and rechecked the system, adjusted the volume rocker up and down, tried everything i could think of, before trying the standard.....restarting the tablet. upon the restart i downloaded an audio test track to the tablet and found it would play from the one speaker on the bottom (landscape) of the tablet. confused, i chalked it up to a bug in Honeycomb. but after 20 mins of streaming my tv shows, while straining to hear what was being said, with the volume maxed out, all sound again cut out. again restarting the tablet seemed to solve the problem for a few minutes. over the course of the next couple days i came to the realization that the speaker did not work more often then it did. (i did find fix, to push down on the screen bezel above the speaker).
Sunday brought on a new issue, i could not get the screen to stay on/ turn on. after finally getting the device to stay on for more than 0.05 seconds i managed to turn all screen timeout settings off, that way the tablet would never sleep. but it did not matter, the screen would shut its self off. the wake/sleep button would often be unresponsive, if the screen would ever turn on i was not able to get past the lock screen. not being able to turn the tablet on long enough to restart it i was left with no other option than to sit the tablet on the shelf until the screen decided to light back up (normally around 4am). completely annoyed by the entire device i called tech support. Their answer, boot into a stock recovery menu and perform a factory reset....didn't solve anything (i was not expecting it to). after 3 more days of use i again called the dreaded Lenovo tech support and after several hours of arguing i managed to convince the technician that the device would need servicing.
A box arrived the next morning for me to place my tablet in and mail to a certified reapair facility. After 3 weeks of no word and no progress (as i was tracking the repair status online) i again called Lenovo. who after several hours of being transfered all over the company gave me a number to call the repair facility. I then managed to get the tablet put back together and mailed back to me so i could return it to Lenovo.
Then i had to arrange a return with Lenovo which took in total 9 hours of phone calls and arguing, as my 30 day full refund window had expired. Eventually i persuaded them to wave the restocking fee and give me a full refund on my order. the next day i shipped everything back, and was glad the entire ordeal was over....it was not over until last week when i finally received a credit on my credit card for the full purchase amount. I had already arranged with my credit card company that if a refund was not received by the first of the year that my credit card company would fully refund my purchase and open a case against Lenovo.
Wrap Up.
I had the device for a total of 7 days. in that time i became dissatisfied with every thing about the device, (other than the folio case). The screen was washed out and faded, the speaker was weak, the tablet struggled to open the app drawer with the addition of maybe 10 apps that did not come with the tablet, the pen was useless in every way imaginable, the sd card slot and full size usb which despite trying to use many times, I never was able to get working. The only pros i have for the device, is the back did not attract fingerprints, the slot for the pen worked great, the rotation lock button was a nice feature but the remainder of the buttons were only an annoyance. However there was no indication that the rotation had been locked and i found myself rotating my tablet and nothing happening. Thinking i had the rotation locked i would push the designated button, only to then lock the rotation, the device was sooooo slow i could not tell if the screen orientation was locked or if the tablet was still trying to rotate the screen. One last note: as being a personal device i never used the security features the Lenovo included for businesses, but all in all i had an absolutely terrible experience.

I've been really lucky and haven't had any of the issues that most users are reporting on in other forums.
It's strange, 4 of us bought 16GB/3G units at same time. I've never had an issue. One of the other guys had issues even running the applications that came preinstalled on the Tablet. A complete system reset seemed to fix all his issues.
Bugger it didn't work for you

you dont happen to have the IMEI number?
low chances... but just in case... if you could publish the last 4-5 figures of it?!
that tablet of yours is going to go back into circulations, and there will be someone else frustrated with it... it'll help if part of the IMEI number is out there warning people of this fugitive of the QA department
seems the QA department was kinda spotty on these 1838's...
some people report no problems at all... some cry a river.
(I hope mine, coming this weekend, will be alright)

Asus Support Europe - Incompetence²

So... My Transformer has a bit of a bug, where when I am charging it or the charger is plugged (separated or in the dock), the touchscreen would become unresponsive unless I also touch the metal of the Transformer with my hand simultaneously.
Now, that Tablet is about half a year old and it suddenly happened from one day to the other.
Naturally, I researched it first, and I found that a few people had similar problems. Suggestions ranged from completely discharging the battery to updating the Tablet - I tried them all, they all didn't work.
So, I send in a request to ASUS support - in the UK, and after a bit back and forth (like asking what version the Tablet was running at), I was referred to their exchange and repair-service.
So I contacted them, and it seemed to work out quite well. The tablet was collected and I included the charger as well as a description of the issue.
At some point I got an answer - in polish, for whatever reason - that told me the tablet was repaired and sent out. A bit weird that it was in polish, but oh well, I can deal with it.
So I finally get it back, wrapped up very nicely. With a little note (in English this time) saying that no issue was found. Awesome. Maybe you could've informed me via Mail before just... Sending it back with that note. Maybe I could've helped them to reproduce the error.
Needless to say, as soon as I plugged the tablet in, the error was back. They reset the Firmware tho. Nice guess.
So yeah, stupid support, not helpful at all. I will consider that in future purchases. -_-

Just to point out the obvious. How do you know it's not something YOU are doing?

CrazyPeter said:
Just to point out the obvious. How do you know it's not something YOU are doing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what I COULD do to make this happen... I mean, there's not too much you can do wrong with plugging in a cable.

have you tried pluggin it in at a friends house?

It could be static build up. Perhaps your house has carpet that builds up static when the air gets dry from running the heater. Since the screen operates by capacitance from your fingers vs. pressure, this could be an issue if you are holding more than the expected charge. Do other people experience this issue with the device? How about if you use it in different locations?
My Nook Color will double or sometimes 10X enter a keypress when I use it when it is connected to the charger. The fix is to not use it on the charger.

Did you try to change the charger plugged in the wall socket ?
I mean turn around.
It sounds silly but I read about people get a little "shock" if they touch the tablet when the charger plugged in, depending how it is put in the wall socket.
Maybe you will see a difference.

I had to send mine after less than a month having it because something appeared between the backlight and the screen.
I got it back one week later with a dead pixel right in the center (and lightbleed) and left speaker not working.
I sent it back and got it back two weeks later with working screen and speaker but a lot of lightbleed.
I then gave up on sending it back again and learned to live with the backlight bleed which is present at least one third of the circonference of the screen.
So I mean yeah they will fix it to a degree but don't expect perfection...

[Q] Somewhat dead touchscreen?

So my awesome Venue Pro with an already sketchy battery is giving me trouble.
It has only happened lately. I'll turn on the phone from standby in order to, well, use the phone. But 95% of the time, the screen will within a split second go black, showing nothing on it. Funny thing is, every key works and illuminates and you can even interact with the touchscreen as I noticed it made sounds previously when I just started moving my finger along the screen, same with powering it back on when it likes to actually show what's on the screen and it'll be on a totally different app or screen itself.
Because I bought it on eBay, Dell, very ignorantly, is refusing to even deal with me in regards to warranty despite the phone being manufactured this year, so I'm hooped for sending it in at all for repairs.
If the touchscreen technically "works", then what could be the problem?
Thanks for your help, guys.

You might want to google something like "dell ownership transfer." Seems to me there was a way to transfer the original warranty term to another person. If you can get in contact with your ebay seller, he may be able to help you out.
Short of replacement, I say the first thing you should try is opening it up and making sure all the cables are connected internally.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1297315
The next step will either be re-flashing the original stock 7.0.7004 rom in hopes that it's a software problem (unlikely if you ask me,) or ordering another DVP off ebay and swapping parts until you have diagnosed the problem.

That's the issue- My eBay dealer didn't actually buy the phone himself. He took them as a donation for his not-for-profit business so the proof of ownership is pretty much MIA.
I'm starting to believe the backlight is failing or something close to that. Possibly due to the slider being used? Not any more often than someone else would use it, though. I looked at the disassembly guide and it's something nearly impossible with my lack of tools or understanding.
I'm pretty much hooped then?

Wow, shady. I bet he took advantage of and offer like this and then just sold the phone for profit.
http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/commu...ected-with-donated-smartphones-from-dell.aspx
I can't think of any other ideas personally. Selling it off for parts seems to me like the best course. If you decide to do this, you should wipe your phone with a soft reset as you normally would when selling this phone (in settings > about > more > reset my phone.) If what you're experiencing is a software problem (which, again, I very much doubt) this might fix it. If not, your personal data is gone, and you're ready to sell it.
You may want to let the other forum members weigh in on this, but I don't think there's going to be an easy fix that doesn't involve disassembly.

I have attempted a reset + restore and whatnot, so most likely it would be a disassembly issue then.
The issue with me taking it apart would be that I'd probably do more damage that way lol.

ThinkPad Tablet Dock/Charging Fix???

I come to you guys to hopefully get some information. I've been trying to find a way to charge my old ThinkPad Tablet without hoping I with the "charge the tablet long enough to be disappointed" lottery. I know originally the tablet either was designed or was just unable to charge quickly over USB, and I was OK with it, until an update or some other issue caused it to randomly cut out from charging some time after the screen goes off. It seems others have had similar issues when I've researched this in the past.
Unfortunately the tablet is very much off. No way of getting any response beyond a single vibration. No way of getting anything, without hovering over the tablet for more than 40 minutes in the hopes that I can get enough juice without damaging the USB port (which might be... it feels a little loose).
I remember some time ago I had seen people trying to reverse engineer and make some kind of power cable that attaches to the dock but I don't seem to see it anymore, and what I have found seems to have no more pictures regarding what was done or how it was obtained. And I'm willing to just shell out cash for a dock, however that's the next big issue. The dock seems to have vanished off the face of the earth. Sure, places list it once I FINALLY have located the part number, but it's out of stock. Nothing seems to work.
So my questions to you all:
Is there an updated place with the how-to to create a charger of my own? If not, is there any place I can obtain a dock that will work with the tablet? Another lenovo dock I can modify, even if I have to hack it apart (not if the dock connector is unique to the TPT or is something from other lenovo products)? Does anyone have a dock they're willing to provide to me for a reasonable
price?
...Do I have a $450ish brick of a birthday gift from a few years back?
I missed using it. It wasn't perfect but it was, at the time a great tablet for me. And I've been itching to clean it up and see what I can do to hack/modify the tablet/android/whatever... but I can't right now, while it's effectively a paperweight...

Anything? I really am hoping someone has some kind of information I can use. Somewhere I can buy stuff, or a good link with details on building/hacking together a cable/dock...